Yoga Sutra 1.37 : Vītaraga visayam va cittam

The human mind is often a restless force—constantly moving, reacting, and pulled by desires and aversions. Patanjali, the great sage who composed the Yoga Sutras around 400 CE, understood this inner turbulence profoundly. In the first chapter, Samadhi Pada, he offers several powerful “alternate techniques,” known as parikarmas, to quiet the mind and cultivate citta-prasādanam—a state of clarity, steadiness, and deep inner peace.

Among these practical tools, Sutra 1.37 stands out with its beautifully human insight.
Vitaraga-viṣayam va cittam points us toward a transformative truth: one of the most effective ways to calm and elevate the mind is to contemplate someone who has already transcended attachment. Instead of relying on abstract ideals, Patanjali encourages us to look to living or historical examples—those who embody serenity, wisdom, and inner freedom.

This sutra reminds us that inspiration is not always found in philosophy alone; it can be discovered in the presence, actions, and energy of those who have walked the path before us. By meditating on their qualities, our own mind begins to soften, quieten, and naturally move toward stillness.

Translation of Yoga Sutra 1.37

Vītarāga-viṣayaṁ vā cittam
वीतराग-विषयं वा चित्तम्
“Or, the mind becomes steady by resting on a mind that is free from attachment.”

This sutra has been translated in various ways, such as “meditating on those who are free from attachment” or “focusing on a heart that has relinquished all attachment to sense objects.” Each translation highlights the same essential idea: contemplating purity, detachment, and inner freedom brings stability to one’s own mind.

Understanding the Sanskrit

Breaking down the Sanskrit terms reveals the profound simplicity of Patanjali’s guidance:

• Vīta – devoid of, free from, without
  

• Rāga – attachment, desire, passion; the emotional coloring that shapes perception
  

• Viṣayam (विषयम्) – object, field, or sphere of experience
  

• Vā – “or,” signifying an alternative method to the earlier techniques Patanjali has described
  

• Cittam – the mind-stuff, the field of consciousness, the thinking and perceiving principle we are trying to steady

The core teaching is this: place the mind (cittam) on an object (viṣayam) that is vītarāga—free from desire, aversion, and the emotional residues that usually disturb the mind. By focusing on something uncolored and unattached, the mind gradually takes on that same quality of calm and purity.

Two Ways to Interpret the Practice

Patanjali’s instruction can be applied in two meaningful ways:

1. Meditating on the abstract quality of non-attachment
   Visualizing non-attachment as a clear, open, unblemished sky—vast, serene, and free from turbulence.
   

2. Meditating on someone who embodies this quality
   This is often the more accessible approach: focusing the mind on an individual—living or historical—who truly exemplifies freedom from attachment. By contemplating their presence, virtues, or example, our own consciousness begins to absorb their steadiness.

Both interpretations guide the practitioner toward the same destination: a calm, steady, and purified mind.

The Power of Association: Becoming What You Contemplate

The second interpretation of this sutra—meditating on an inspiring, desireless being—is a practice found across many spiritual traditions. From the Buddhist emphasis on the sangha to the Hindu path of seeking a guru, the message is universal:
We become shaped by what we consistently contemplate and who we choose to keep in our inner and outer company.

Our mental environment molds us. Whatever we repeatedly expose ourselves to—whether it’s digital noise, draining relationships, negativity, or constant craving—begins to color our consciousness. Over time, the mind adopts the same frequency as its surroundings. It becomes restless, distracted, and subtly aligned with the lower patterns it has absorbed.

But the opposite is equally true.

When we turn our attention, with devotion and sincerity, toward a vītarāga—a person who has transcended desire and attachment—a different kind of transformation begins. This could be a sage, a saint, a spiritual master, or even an inspiring historical figure known for purity, compassion, and integrity: someone like Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, or any being who embodies ahimsa and inner freedom.

Their very presence—whether experienced through memory, story, or contemplation—acts like a polished mirror. It reflects back to us our own dormant potential for clarity, courage, and peace.

This subtle yet powerful process is what Eastern traditions call satsang: the uplifting company of truth. By holding such a person’s qualities, their state of mind, or their teachings in our awareness, a quiet inner shift begins. A gentle form of devotion (bhakti) arises, creating a deep energetic connection that accelerates our own growth.

In essence, we tune our inner instrument—the mind and the nervous system—toward a higher, more harmonious resonance. And slowly, we begin to become what we contemplate.

Who Is a Vitaraga in the Modern World?

A vītarāga is not merely someone who has retreated into a cave or abandoned worldly life—though some may choose that path. More fundamentally, a vītarāga is a person who has attained inner freedom from the endless cycle of craving and aversion (rāga–dveṣa) that binds the ordinary mind. Their perception is unclouded by personal biases, conditioning, or self-centered motives. They see things as they truly are (yathā-bhūta), with clarity and wholeness—pūrṇa.

For a modern practitioner navigating the complexities of 21st-century life, finding such a being can be a journey of discernment. A living spiritual teacher can offer profound guidance, yet choosing one requires equal parts wisdom and humility. The risk of misunderstanding, idealizing, or projecting our own hopes and limitations onto them is always present.

Fortunately, Patanjali does not restrict the practice to living teachers alone. The object of meditation can just as meaningfully be a timeless spiritual figure whose teachings continue to illuminate humanity—Shiva as the first yogi, the Buddha, Jesus Christ, Adi Shankara, or any enlightened being whose life embodies purity, compassion, and inner freedom.

It may also be the principle of non-attachment itself, visualized as a clear, steady inner light glowing at the heart center.

In the end, what matters is not the external identity of the vītarāga, but the śraddhā—unshakeable faith—and the bhāvana—heartfelt inspiration—we draw from contemplating them. The true measure of authenticity lies in whether this figure evokes a deep sense of calm, upliftment, and inner strength within us.

When the object of meditation resonates in our heart as a source of undeniable peace, we have found our vītarāga.

The Practice in Daily Life: Finding Your Inspiration

How do we weave this timeless wisdom into our fast-paced, distraction-filled modern lives? The essence of the practice lies in shifting our focus—turning away from the noisy, desire-driven external world and orienting the mind toward a stable, uplifting source of peace, whether within or outside ourselves.

Here is a simple, accessible framework to bring this sutra into daily life:

1. Find Your Role Model

Look for a living or historical figure who genuinely embodies deep peace, clarity, and non-attachment—the very qualities you wish to cultivate. This might be a spiritual master, a humanitarian leader, or even a friend or relative who navigates life’s highs and lows with remarkable grace. Choose someone whose presence or story naturally elevates you.

2. Study Their Qualities

Immerse yourself in their life and teachings. Read their writings, listen to their talks, and reflect on how they lived.
How did they meet adversity?
How did they handle loss, success, and praise?
By understanding the mindset and heart-space that shaped their clarity and freedom, you begin building an inner blueprint for your own transformation.

3. Meditate and Reflect (Brahmavihāra)

During meditation, make this person—or the qualities they embody—the focus of your dharana. Visualize their serene presence. Imagine the calm in their eyes, their steady breath, their compassionate heart. Sense what it might feel like to inhabit such peace within your own body.
The mind is like water—it takes the shape of whatever vessel it fills. When you pour into it the stillness and purity of the master, the mind naturally begins to reflect that same clarity.

4. Imitate, Embody, and Become

The ultimate aim of this practice is not temporary relief but genuine transformation. Even as an inner ideal, the presence of a vītarāga acts as a catalyst. As you consciously invite their spirit, virtues, and outlook into your own awareness, their fullness (pūrṇatva) begins to overflow into you.
You may find yourself asking throughout the day:
“What would my ideal do in this situation?”
And then, slowly and steadily, choosing to act from that higher place.

A Path of Heart and Mind

Yoga Sutra 1.37 is one of several alternative practices Patanjali offers for quieting the fluctuations of the mind—citta vritti nirodhah. What makes this sutra unique is that it taps into something profoundly human: our capacity for reverence, inspiration, and heartfelt connection. It is both accessible and deeply transformative, reminding us that on the path of self-realization, we are never truly alone.

Those who have crossed the stormy seas of the mind and reached the shores of lasting peace can become powerful sources of strength and encouragement. They stand like lighthouses on the horizon—living proof that the destination exists. When we allow their light to guide us, our own journey toward inner clarity and tranquility becomes steadier, gentler, and more hopeful.

This is the sacred work: cultivating within ourselves the very freedom and fullness we admire in them. We do this by meditating on the unattached mind, the open and unburdened heart. The stability and peace we long for are not external achievements to be acquired—they are inner qualities already present within us, waiting to be recognized.
The masters simply mirror this truth, lovingly pointing us back home.